How does senior management demonstrate their commitment to safety and employees? CARLOS: Our leaders have outlined three core safety principles for achieving world‑class safety performance to be included in every AMAT company safety program: • Eliminate Serious Harm: Focus on safety-critical tasks and create environments with built-in defenses to ensure safe operations. • Become a Learning Organization: Build trust, fairness and employee engagement to develop systems that tolerate errors and allow safe failure. • Cultivate an Employee-Driven Safety Culture: Encourage employees to participate actively and take ownership of the safety program. BRYON: Every management member has been out in the field or on location loading or unloading. They have done the work that our drivers are expected to do. In addition, we are subject to strict safety regulations, and a good safety culture helps ensure compliance, reducing the risk of injuries, fines, shutdowns or lawsuits. We make sure that our guys have the tools they need to safely do the job and go home to their families. TROY: The safety of Wheeler Associates, customers and business partners is always the first consideration in all aspects of our business. In addition, providing the necessary resources that enable that to happen. TRAVIS: Senior management shows their commitment to safety and our employees through several key actions: • Providing Necessary Tools and Resources: They ensure that all employees have the right tools, equipment and time needed to safely and successfully complete their tasks. • Leading by Example: Management leads with a positive attitude and demonstrates safe practices in their daily activities. This includes spending adequate time in the field with the crews. • Proper Planning and Communication: They prioritize proper planning and clear communication to prevent accidents and ensure everyone is on the same page. • Ongoing Training: Regular training sessions are conducted to keep everyone updated on the latest safety protocols and procedures. • Listening and Respecting Opinions: Management actively listens to employees’ opinions and respects their input, fostering a culture of mutual respect and continuous improvement. LOGAN: Senior management demonstrates their commitment by continually participating in our safety culture and improving anywhere necessary. We provide the proper tools and training to be able to stay safe while providing a quality product for our residents. Here at South Jordan, employees can seek out training and are able to attend any training or conference that would pertain to their job and be a benefit and learning opportunity. How does your safety program/culture empower your employees? CARLOS: All of our employees are empowered with the authority to STOP work if they feel it is unsafe or whenever they are unsure of procedures or their ability to perform the task safely. One of our core values at Staker Parson is “See, Stop, Do: When I SEE something, I will STOP and DO something.” BRYON: Our mission statement is located on our lobby wall and in each of our offices. It says, “We believe truckers are American heroes. We empower our people to provide exceptional service for our customers’ challenging and ever-changing needs.” We also stay up to date with today’s technology. Testing and trying the things that will work best in our industry, keeping our drivers, our customers, the public and our company safe. TROY: All employees have the right and obligation to stop work if something is not safe. Employees along with their supervisors conduct weekly safety walks and catch people doing the right things. Weekly, employees gather around a continuous improvement board and address safety and other process improvement ideas. Work zone accidents not only result in a devastating loss of life but also place a heavy financial strain on the industry. The costs of these accidents — stemming from medical expenses, legal fees, property damage and lost productivity — can add up to billions annually, significantly impacting both workers and the broader economy. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total cost of work zone crashes amounts to $37.9 billion annually. We had the chance to speak with the following UAPA member company specialists whose companies have been recently recognized for their outstanding safety practices and learned more about what they are doing to build their safety culture. 43
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